The Impossible Job (Hardcover)

LONGLISTED FOR THE 2026 WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD

'A superb insight into football's most misunderstood subject. We all read the game differently – but do we really know the rules?' Jamie Carragher

'William Ralston reveals the reality of refereeing. Ritually abused and remorselessly undermined by the VAR system, referees still know what they’re doing' Michael Calvin, author of The Nowhere Men

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An unprecedented look inside refereeing, The Impossible Job will change the way you watch football forever.

Booed by crowds. Sworn at by players. Spat on from the stands. Threatened, accused, hated. Welcome to the world of football refereeing.

We watch referees every week. But almost none of us understand what the job really demands.

In this meticulously reported book, William Ralston goes deep inside football's most exposed role, speaking to officials from Sunday league pitches to World Cups to show what it takes to officiate at the highest level.

With rare access to UEFA, FIFA, and PGMO, he embeds with referees across Europe’s five major leagues – Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1, and the Premier League – following them through training camps, assessment rooms, and matchdays, where a single call can define a career. He also learns to referee himself, experiencing first-hand the speed and scrutiny that come with every call.

Through defining matches and controversial decisions, he examines the influence of VAR, how referees judge fouls, and the excruciatingly fine margins between control and chaos.

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'This book helps you understand the complexities of an often criticised role.' Marco Guida, Champions League and Serie A referee.

'Delves deep into the emotional rollercoaster that is refereeing, revealing the demands and challenges faced by referees at all levels like never before' Anthony Taylor, Premier League and Champions League referee.

‘By turns sharp, empathetic, and funny – The Impossible Job captures elite referees’ humanity, integrity, and talents’ David Goldblatt, author of The Ball is Round

William Ralston is a freelance writer living in London. His work has appeared in the Financial Times, GQ, the Guardian, Vanity Fair, and Wired, among other publications. He won the Best Sportswriting award at the 2023 British Journalism Awards.